---
title: "Clarke"
description: "The same Wisdom speaks here who spoke in the preceding chapter. There she represented herself as manifest in all the works of God in the natural world; al"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/proverbs/9"
---

The same Wisdom speaks here who spoke in the preceding chapter. *There* she represented herself as manifest in all the *works of* *God* in the natural world; all being constructed according to counsels proceeding from an infinite understanding. *Here*, she represents herself as the great *potentate*, who was to rule all that she had constructed; and having an immense *family* to provide for, had made an abundant *provision*, and calls all to partake of it. This, says *Calmet*, is the continuation of the parable begun in the preceding chapter, where wisdom is represented as a venerable lady, whose real beauties and solid promises are opposed to the false allurements of PLEASURE, who was represented in the seventh chapter under the idea of a debauched and impudent woman. *This* *one*, to draw young people into her snares, describes the *perfumes*, the *bed*, and the *festival* which she has prepared. WISDOM acts in the same way: but, instead of the debauchery, the false pleasures, and the criminal connections which *pleasure* had promised, offers her guests a strong, well-built, magnificent palace, chaste and solid pleasures, salutary instructions, and a life crowned with blessedness. This is the sum and the substance of the parable; but as in the preceding part, so in this, men have produced strange creatures of their own brain, by way of explanation. One specimen of this mode of interpretation may suffice.
The house built by wisdom is the holy *humanity of Jesus Christ*; the *seven pillars* are the *seven sacraments*, or the *seven gifts of* *the Holy Ghost*, or the *whole of the apostles, preachers, and* *ministers of the Church*; the *slain beasts* are the *sacrifice of* *Christ's body* upon the cross; and the *bread* and *mingled wine* are the *bread* and *wine* in the *sacrament of the Lord's Supper*! - FATHERS and DOCTORS.
If we have recourse to any other particulars than those given above in the summary of the chapter, let us follow the first part of the parable, where wisdom is represented as laying the plan of the creation; and then perhaps we may say with safety, that wisdom, having *produced* the grand *ichnograph* or *ground plot* of the whole, with all the requisite *elevations* and *specifications* of *materials*, comes to show us, in this part, that the whole has been *constructed on this plan*; and specifies the *end* for which this august building has been raised.
Verse [Proverbs 9:1](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/1). ***Wisdom hath builded her house*** — The eternal counsel of God has framed the *universe*.
***She hath hewn out her seven pillars*** — Every thing has been so constructed as to exhibit a scene of grandeur, stability, and durableness.

Verse [Proverbs 9:2](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/2). ***She hath killed her beasts*** — God has made the most ample provision for the innumerable tribes of animal and intellectual beings, which people the whole vortex of created nature.

Verse [Proverbs 9:3](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/3). ***She hath sent forth her maidens*** — The wisdom of God has made use of the *most proper means* to communicate Divine knowledge to the inhabitants of the earth; as a good and gracious Creator wills to teach them *whence* they *came*, how they are *supported,* *whither* they are *going*, and for what *end* they were formed. It is a custom to the present day, in Asiatic countries, to send their invitations to guests by a company of *females*, preceded by eunuchs: they go to the doors of the invited, and deliver their message.

Verse [Proverbs 9:4](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/4). ***Whoso*****is*****simple*** — Let the young, heedless, and giddy attend to my teaching.
***Him that wanteth understanding*** — Literally, *he that wanteth a* *heart*; who is without *courage*, is *feeble* and *fickle*, and *easily drawn* aside from the holy commandment.

Verse [Proverbs 9:5](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/5). ***Come, eat of my bread*** — Not only receive my instructions, but *act* according to my directions.
***Drink of the wine - I have mingled.*** — Enter into my counsels; be not contented with *superficial knowledge* on any subject, where any thing *deeper* may be attained. Go by the *streams* to the *fountain* *head*. Look into the *principles* on which they were formed; investigate their *nature*, examine their *properties*, acquaint thyself with their *relations, connections, influences*, and various *uses*. See the *skill, power*, and *goodness* of God in their creation. And when thou hast learned all within thy reach, know that thou knowest but little of the manifold wisdom of God. Let what thou hast learned humble thee, by showing thee how very little thou dost know. Thou hast drunk of the *provided wine*; but that *wine* was mingled with *water*, for God will hide pride from man. He dwells only on the surface of religious and philosophical learning, who does not perceive and feel that he is yet but a *child* in knowledge; that he *see through a glass darkly*; that he *perceives men like trees walking*; and that there are lengths, breadths, depths, and heights, in the works and ways of God, which it will require an eternity to fathom. Here below the pure wine is mingled with water: but this is God's work. Yet there is enough; do not therefore be contented with a little. To this subject the words of the poet may be well applied: -
If we consider the *mixed wine* as meaning this *strong wine*, then the import of the metaphor will be, a thorough investigation of the works of God will invigorate the soul, strengthen all the mental powers, enlarge their capacity, and enable the mind to take the most exalted views of the *wonders of God's skill* manifested in the *operations of his hand*.

Verse [Proverbs 9:6](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/6). ***Forsake the foolish*** — For the companion of fools must be a fool.
***And live*** — Answer the *end* for which thou wert *born*.

Verse [Proverbs 9:7](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/7). ***He that reproveth a scorner*** — לץ *lets*, the person who *mocks* at sacred things; the *libertine*, the *infidel*; who turns the most serious things into ridicule, and, by his *wit*, often succeeds in rendering the person who reproves him ridiculous. Wisdom seems here to intimate that it is vain to attempt by reproof to amend such: and yet we must not suffer sin upon our neighbour; at all hazards, we must deliver our own soul. But no reproof should be given to any, but in the *spirit of love* and deep concern; and when they contradict and blaspheme, leave them to God.

Verse [Proverbs 9:9](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/9). ***Give*****instruction*****to a wise*****man**] Literally *give to the* *wise, and he will be wise*. Whatever you give to such, they reap profit from it. They are like the bee, they extract honey from every flower.

Verse [Proverbs 9:10](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/10). ***The fear of the Lord*** — See on [Proverbs 1:7](../../../kjv/proverbs/1/7). The knowledge of the holy; קדשים *kedoshim*, of the holy ones: *Sanctorum*, of the saints. - *Vulgate*. βουλη αγιων, the counsel of the holy persons.

Verse [Proverbs 9:11](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/11). ***For by me thy days shall be multiplied*** — Vice shortens human life, by a necessity of consequence: and by the same, righteousness lengthens it. There is a long addition here in the *Septuagint, Syriac*, and *Vulgate*: "He who trusts in falsity feeds on the winds; and is like him who chases the fowls of heaven. He forsakes the way of his own vineyard, and errs from the paths of his own inheritance. He enters also into lonely and desert places, and into a land abandoned to thirst; and his hands collect that which yieldeth no fruit."

Verse [Proverbs 9:12](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/12). ***If thou be wise*** — It is thy own interest to be religious. Though thy example may be very useful to thy neighbours and friends, yet the chief benefit is to *thyself*. But if thou scorn - refuse to receive - the doctrines of wisdom, and die in thy sins, *thou alone* shalt suffer the vengeance of an offended God.

Verse [Proverbs 9:13](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/13). ***A foolish woman*****is*****clamorous*** — Vain, empty women, are those that make *most noise*. And she that is *full* of clamour, has generally *little* or no *sense*. We have had this character already, see [Proverbs 7:11](../../../kjv/proverbs/7/11). The translation of the *Septuagint* is very remarkable: Γυνη αφρων και θρασεια, ενδεης ψωμου γινεται, "A lewd and foolish woman shall be in need of a morsel of bread."

Verse [Proverbs 9:14](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/14). ***For she sitteth at the door of her house*** — Her conduct here marks at once her *folly, impudence*, and *poverty*. See above on [Proverbs 7:6](../../../kjv/proverbs/7/6), &c., where the reader will find a similar character.

Verse [Proverbs 9:16](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/16). ***Whoso*****is*****simple, let him turn in hither*** — FOLLY or PLEASURE here personified, uses the very same expressions as employed by *Wisdom*, [Proverbs 9:4](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/4). Wisdom says, "Let the simple turn in to me." No, says Folly, "Let the simple turn in to me." If he turn in to *Wisdom*, his folly shall be taken away and he shall become wise; if he turn in to *Folly*, his darkness will be thickened, and his folly will remain.
Wisdom sets up her school to instruct the ignorant:
Folly sets her school up next door, to defeat the designs of Wisdom.
Thus the saying of the satirist appears to be verified: -

"Wherever God erects a *house* of *prayer*,
The devil surely builds a *chapel* there.
And it is found upon examination,
The latter has the *larger congregation*."
DE FOE.

Verse [Proverbs 9:17](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/17). ***Stolen waters are sweet*** — I suppose this to be a proverbial mode of expression, importing that *illicit pleasures* *are sweeter than those which are legal*. The meaning is easy to be discerned; and the conduct of multitudes shows that they are ruled by this adage. On it are built all the *adulterous intercourses* in the land.

Verse [Proverbs 9:18](../../../kjv/proverbs/9/18). ***But he knoweth not that the dead are there*** — See on [Proverbs 2:18](../../../kjv/proverbs/2/18). He does not know that it was in this way the first apostates from God and truth walked. רפאים *rephaim*; γιγαντες, the GIANTS. - *Septuagint*. The *sons of men*, the *earth-born*, to distinguish them from the *sons of God*, those who were *born from* *above*. [Genesis 6:1](../../../kjv/genesis/6/1), c.
***Her guests are in the depths of hell.*** — Those who have been drawn out of the way of understanding by *profligacy* have in general lost their *lives*, if not their *souls*, by their folly. The *Septuagint,* *Syriac*, and *Arabic* make a long addition to this verse: "But draw thou back, that thou mayest not die in this place neither fix thy eyes upon her; so shalt thou pass by those strange waters. But abstain thou from strange waters, and drink not of another's fountain, that thou mayest live a long time, and that years may be added to thy life." Of this addition there is nothing in the *Hebrew*, the *Chaldee*, or the *Vulgate*, as now printed: but in the *editio princeps* are the following words: - Qui enim applicabitur illi descendet ad inferos; nam qui abscesserit ab ea salvabitur. These words were in the copy *from which* my old MS. Bible has been made, as the following version proves: *Who forsoth schal ben* *joyned to hir, schal falle doun on to hell: for whi he that goth* *awai fro hir, schal be saved*. Three of my own MSS. have the same reading.

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